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Travis Olander 11.01.23
We lately coated ballistic ear professional. A key takeaway was that to make sure correct safety from listening to injury when taking pictures, you might want to double up on ear professional. Which means sporting over-the-ear muffs and ear plugs to attain the correct Noise Discount Ranking. However doubling up on ear professional additionally means you’re shedding situational consciousness – you merely can’t hear what’s occurring round you. That’s, until you put on some lively listening to safety. So, we’re going to overview a pair of the Peltor Comtac V Defenders and share our preliminary unboxing and setup of those in style earmuffs for listening to safety.
Listening to Safety Protection on AllOutdoor
Enter Peltor. Sure, equipment children like to spend lots of of {dollars} on mil-spec gear that’ll by no means actually serve its function. However Peltor’s Comtac sequence of headsets are the exception. The Peltor Comtac V Defenders present among the finest lively listening to safety I’ve ever worn. Let’s take a better have a look at these taking pictures muffs.
Peltor Comtac V Defenders – Specs
- Noise Discount Ranking: 23 dB (ANSI examined)
- Max Impulse Noise Discount: 32.6 dB
- Battery Life: 150 Hours
- Battery: (1) AAA
Peltor Comtac V Defenders – Extra Options
- “Speak-Via” automated voice tuning
- “Earplug Mode” for doubled up ear professional
- New omni audio system and microphones
- Adjustable launch time for indoor reverb
- Automated equalizer enhances ambient noise
- Appropriate with U-174, 6-pin and Motorola APX adapters
- Appropriate with helmet ARC rail connectors
- New rubberized headband for added consolation
As I mentioned, I believe the Comtac Vs are the very best lively ear professional available on the market. I’ve worn loads of lively listening to safety – each plugs and muffs – and none have happy all of the elements that make lively ear professional work effectively. These elements embody:
- Precise noise discount: The whole, real-world stage of safety offered
- Response time: How shortly the microphones shut off in response to fireside
- Launch time: How shortly after the fireplace ends the microphones reactivate
- Audio high quality: How clear and crisp pass-through noise and speech sound
- Battery life: How lengthy lively safety lasts per battery or cost
Peltor Comtac V Defenders – Fitment and Capabilities
Everybody lauds the optionally available gel ear cups which can be bought individually. However I discovered the offered foam cell cups to be completely snug, even when worn for a couple of hours. They don’t pinch or trigger scorching spots, and so they present loads of noise discount.
The padded rubber headband is noticeably extra snug than the Comtac III’s previous canvas band. The adjustment vary is plentiful, and so they’ll typically keep put when stretched or compressed to the scale you require. Peltor claims the scarf will match positive underneath most helmets; however I wouldn’t hassle. The ARC adapter system is a vastly higher setup.
The headset’s powered by a single AAA in both cup, which is waterproofed by an O-ring compressed underneath every battery compartment door. Talking of waterproofing, the Comtac V’s are absolutely waterproof and deal with rain simply positive. The one exterior controls are slightly below the left ear’s battery compartment: Two rubberized buttons present quantity adjustment for ambient noise and dialog. Powering the Comtacs on and off merely requires urgent and holding one of many two buttons for about 3 seconds.
“Quantity Enhance” mode for doubled up ear professional can also be activated or disabled right here. You’ll must press and maintain the ahead button for 10 seconds to allow it. “Steadiness Mode” can also be accessed by button holds. This lets you bias the amount for the left or proper ears. To allow changes, you’ll want to carry down each buttons for 10 seconds. Then you possibly can click on both button to bias the amount left or proper.
Lastly, the onboard equalizer will be tuned through button presses. Though the Comtacs routinely regulate for varied frequencies, I discovered mine had the tiniest high-pitched hiss in sure indoor environments. Adjusting the EQ’s completed by holding the rear button for 10 seconds, and adjusting the frequent vary of the microphones up or down utilizing each buttons. This remedied the hiss, and I loved crystal-clear audio at my favourite indoor vary thereafter.
Peltor Comtac V Defenders – Noise Safety & Efficiency
My first expertise with the Comtac Vs was exterior, in a comparatively slender valley on public recreation lands, taking pictures unsuppressed 300 BLKs. Some lively ear professional merely struggles to accommodate all varieties of gunfire – particularly supersonic and subsonic masses – however the Comtac Vs dealt with each with out challenge. Response and launch instances had been speedy, with no latency on both finish. In holding regular dialog in between pictures, I discovered no extra suppression of voice or ambient noise; the Comtac’s processor is nice at offering speedy return to hearing-safe noise.
Even with out doubling up, noise suppression was greater than satisfactory when firing supersonic masses. Though the Comtac V’s marketed NRR is “solely” 23 decibels, the examined impulse noise discount is round 32 dB. Impulse noise discount is a extra correct determine to reference when estimating real-world safety in opposition to typical semiautomatic fireplace, and the Comtacs present among the highest safety available on the market.
Inside, efficiency is simply nearly as good: The Comtac Vs deal with reverb and sound suppression in confined areas higher than some other lively ear professional I’ve worn. I used to be in a position to ship .308 masses at my native indoor vary’s underground, 100-meter tunnels – basically large echo chambers – without having for doubling up on plugs, both.
Peltor Comtac V Defenders – Listening to-Protected Sound/Amplification
Situational consciousness with the Comtac Vs is a recreation changer. The omni mics and stereo audio system do a wonderful job of offering correct directional, hearing-safe sound pass-through. The ambient sound amplification is superb, too – these might not be Sony’s most interesting cups, however the equalizer, bass, mid tones, and treble are balanced and strong. No tinny noise, no hollowness.
You might discover (as I did) that some indoor ambient noise can induce a faint hiss. Merely regulate the equalizer vary manually, and you must have the ability to remove this in the event you expertise it, too.
Battery Life (is unquestionably not 150 hours)
Comtac Vs are clearly meant to worn regularly – not worn as soon as every week, or so. There may be clearly some parasitic battery energy loss over time, as a result of mine by no means lasted 150 hours. My finest estimate places battery life with off-the-shelf Energizer AAAs at round 100 hours – so 66% of marketed efficiency.
That’s nonetheless a helluva lot of battery life, and I think about you will get nearer to that 150-hour mark with extra common use and higher-quality, rechargeable AAAs.
Peltor Comtac V Defenders – Value is $500… Price it?
Merely put: Sure. If you happen to commonly attend programs, or simply go to your native vary a few times a month, the Comtac Vs are the lively ear professional to finish all others. Purchase as soon as, cry as soon as. They’re extremely snug, light-weight, completely waterproof and shockproof, and their omnidirectional sound high quality and onboard processing is second to none. You possibly can usually discover gross sales on these base Comtacs (kitted out LEO and mil model usually value nearer to $800), which often reductions them to beneath $500. However even at this value, the Comtac Vs may simply be an excessive amount of ear muff. If you happen to’re on the lookout for one thing extra budget-minded, take a look at our overview of the brand new rechargeable Firemax Digital Earmuffs from Walker’s.
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